Emmanuel Joyce

Voice of Freedom, 2017

"This is an iron that many people use to iron clothes. But there is another thing they use the iron for.

Most of the madames that brought guests to Europe used the same iron to maltreat people, especially women that are trafficked—they use this iron on them when they get refused to pay their money.

Even a friend of mine, she showed me her back where her madame plugged the iron and press it on her back. It is very bad for a woman to use an iron that is plugged, to put it on someone’s body, all in the name of money."

This image was taken as part of the Voice of Freedom workshop in Asti, Italy, working with ten Nigerian women trafficked through Libya to Italy. The title of the photograph refers to the name of the individual who took the photograph, and not the figure therein.

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All images sole copyright the photographers. All rights reserved. Not to be reproduce in any format without the written permission of Leila Segal, Director, Voice of Freedom.

Antislavery Photography

Visual culture has been historically central to the abolitionist movement, and photography has breathed new life into forms of visual protest. From documentary photography that attempts to capture the horrific reality of modern slavery, to survivor-generated images that capture everyday efforts to survive, contemporary photography adopts numerous lenses in order to challenge stereotypes and raise awareness against modern day slavery. This collection gathers some of the most impactful images and collections in the contemporary anti-slavery moment.